Professor Ian Toth, Director of the National Potato Innovation Centre (NPIC) and Scotland’s Plant Health Centre at The James Hutton Institute, has been appointed as President of the European Association for Potato Research (EAPR), in recognition of his 35 years of pioneering potato research.
Over the next three years, Professor Toth will lead the Association, comprised of over 200 individual members and other sustaining members, with a network that spans Europe and beyond, according to a press release from the James Hutton Institute.
Over the next three years, Professor Toth will lead the Association, which consists of over 200 individual members and numerous sustaining members, with a network extending across Europe and beyond.
The release notes that under his leadership, the EAPR will strengthen its commitment to fostering the global exchange of scientific and technical knowledge related to all aspects of potato breeding, production, protection, storage, and utilization.
Toth will also oversee the EAPR Triennial Conference, scheduled to be held in Scotland in 2027. This conference will showcase Scotland’s exceptional potato production and highlight the nation’s many other accomplishments. As Director of the NPIC, he has collaborated with both national and international partners, guiding the Centre in its mission to discover new and sustainable solutions for the potato industry.
In his new role, Toth will continue his collaboration with the International Potato Partnership (IPP), which was recently introduced at this year’s World Potato Congress, aiming to enhance global cooperation in potato research and industry.
“I’m excited to work with the scientists within the EAPR network, who are renowned for driving innovation in potato research across Europe,” Toth said.
“It has never been more crucial for scientists and researchers to unite in overcoming the many challenges that threaten the potato industry, not least climate change and the loss of plant protection products. I hope to integrate the ground-breaking research at the James Hutton Institute with those advancements being made across the research network globally.”
